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Isaiah 42
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
(8,6,8,6)
Behold my Servant! see him rise
exalted in my might!
Him have I chosen, and in him
I place supreme delight.
On him, in rich effusion poured,
my Spirit shall descend;
My truths and judgments he shall show
to earth’s remotest end.
Gentle and still shall be his voice,
no threats from him proceed;
The smoking flax he shall not quench,
nor break the bruised reed.
The feeble spark to flames he’ll raise;
the weak will not despise;
Judgment he shall bring forth to truth,
and make the fallen rise.
The progress of his zeal and pow’r
shall never know decline,
Till foreign lands and distant isles
receive the law divine.
He who erected heav’ns bright arch,
and bade the planets roll,
Who peopled all the climes of earth,
and formed the human soul,
Thus saith the Lord, Thee have I raised,
my Prophet thee install;
In right I’ve raised thee, and in strength
I’ll succour whom I call.
I will establish with the lands
a covenant in thee,
To give the Gentile nations light,
and set the pris’ners free:
Asunder burst the gates of brass;
the iron fetters fall;
And gladsome light and liberty
are straight restored to all.
I am the Lord, and by the name
of great JEHOVAH known;
No idol shall usurp my praise,
nor mount into my throne.
Lo! former scenes, predicted once
conspicuous rise to view;
And future scenes, predicted now,
shall be accomplished too.
Sing to the Lord in joyful strains!
let earth his praise resound,
Ye who upon the ocean dwell,
and fill the isles around!
O city of the Lord! begin
the universal song;
And let the scattered villages
the cheerful notes prolong.
Let Kedar’s wilderness afar
lift up its lonely voice;
And let the tenants of the rock
with accents rude rejoice;
Till ‘midst the streams of distant lands
the islands sound his praise;
And all combined, with one accord,
JEHOVAH’s glories raise.
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